Detection of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 in Gingival Crevicular Fluid of Gingival Sulcus/Periodontal Pocket Using Polymerase Chain Reaction

Introduction Pathogenesis and some characteristics of periodontitis cannot be fully explained by bacterial etiology alone. Herpes viruses may bridge the gap between clinical characteristics and molecular understanding of periodontal destruction. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of healthy and damaged periodontium in Serbian population and to explore potential correlation between the presence of this virus and the level of periodontal destruction. Methods Samples were collected from gingival sulcus/periodontal pockets by sterile paper points and the presence of viral DNA in gingival crevicular fluid was assessed by PCR. Results There was no statistically significant difference in HSV-1 in presence between periodontitis patients (PG=38.9%) and healthy controls (HC=32.3%), (Chi-square test, with Yates' correction p=0.7574). However, HSV-1 positive patients showed significantly higher values of parameters of periodontal destruction (PPD=7.11 +/- 2.52, CAL=5.46 +/- 2.34) than periodontitis patients without HSV-1 in gingival crevicular fluid (PPD=4.70 +/- 1.79, CAL=3.39 +/- 2.65) (p values respectively, p=0.002 and p=0.023, Independent Samples T-Test). HSV-1 occurred more often in deeper (PPD >= 6 mm) (69.2%) than in shallow pockets (3 mm<PPD<6 mm) (18.2%) (Chi-square test, with Yates' correction, p=0.008). Plaque index was lower in the HSV-1 positive group (0.84 +/- 0.69 vs. 1.43 +/- 0.76, p=0.023, Independent Samples T-Test). Conclusion This study demonstrated that the presence of HSV-1 in the gingival crevicular fluid coincides with a higher degree of tissue destruction in patients with periodontitis.